Bridge construction for piggyback flat cars



July 20, 1965 3,195,478

E. L. THQMPSQN BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PIGGYBACK FLAT CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 IN VENTOR.

EARL L THOMPSON BY'MAWW July 20, 1965 E. L. THOMPSON BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PIGGYBACK FLAT CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PIGGYBACK FLAT CARS Filed D90. 51, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. EARL. L. THOMPS ON BYgM WW A r roe/v5 rs United States Patent M 3,195,478 BRIDGE (IONSTRUCTIUN FOR PIGGYBACK FLAT CARS Earl L. Thompson, Chicago, lll., assignor to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 248,460 1 Claim. (Cl. 105-458) This invention relates to piggyback flat cars of the type having increased travel cushioning means associated therewith and more particularly to a bridge construction adapting such a flat car for piggyback loading with conventional flat cars.

Piggyback fiat cars have found widespread acceptance in the railroad industry. These cars are flat cars employed for transporting by rail highway vehicles such as tractor trailers and the like. The conventional method of loading piggyback flat cars consists of first arranging a series of such cars on a siding, and then driving each tractor trailer over a series of fiat cars to its desired position. Bridge construction is provided between adjacent ends of the flat cars, and it conventionally includes a pair of steel bridge plates each pivoted to one of the flat cars and 'swingable between a horizontal loading position spanning the space between the cars and a vertical transit position for transport.

With the perfection of shock dissipating cushioning means for railway cars, many piggyback flat cars now being manufactured include such cushioning means, and many existing flat cars are being modified to incorporate shock dissipating cushioning means. Cushioning means for flat cars quite often includes a sliding sill type cushioning arrangement which basically includes a longitudinally continuous sill stricture slidably received in a box-like center sill in the underframe of the fiat car, which continuous sill has couplers mounted at the opposite ends thereof. A suitable hydraulic or other type of cushion operatively interconnects the sliding sill with the underframe of the car. When such a flat car receives an operational shock in buif or draft, the cushioning arrangement absorbs substantially all of the shock which results in relative longitudinal movement between the sliding sill and the underfrarne of the flat car. In order to accommodate this movement of the sliding sill it has been necessary to space the couplers at the ends of the sliding sill for a substantial distance beyond the ends of the flat car.

The use of piggyback flat cars having shock dissipating cushioning means associated therewith has presented problems in the loading of these fiat cars by the method described above. Because these flat cars have the couplers thereof spaced a substantial distance beyond the ends of the flat car, when one of these piggyback flat cars is coupled with a piggyback flat car of conventional design, it has not been possible to bridge the increased distance between these two cars with the bridge plates furnished with the cars. This is due to the fact that the bridge plate on the conventional flat car is not long enough to span the distance between the conventional flat car and the fiat car having the cushioning means associated therewith.

In addition to the above mentioned problem of piggyback loading which is brought about by the use of flat cars having shock dissipating cushioning means, the same problem is quite often presented when coupling piggyback flat cars wherein none of the cars have the above described shock dissipating means associated therewith. This may occur with the coupling of fiat cars having couplers of varying lengths or having couplers with conventional rubber pad cushioning means but with varying lengths of travel. In any case the result will be a greater 3,195,478 Patented July 20, 1965 space between adjacent end sills of the coupled cars, which space will be too great for spanning by a bridge plate of one of the cars.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide in a piggyback flat car of the type having increased travel cushioning means associated therewith a bridge construction adapting such a car for piggyback loading with a conventional flat car.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in a piggyback flat car of the type described a bridge plate and a bridge plate support at each end of the car adapting the same for piggyback loading with flat cars of varying coupler length.

It is an even further object of the present invention to provide in a piggyback flat car of the type having relatively long travel cushioning means a bridge plate and a bridge plate support at each end of the fiat car adapting the same for piggyback loading with a conventional flat car, which bridge plates and which bridge plate supports are adapted to be swung from a loading position to a transit position.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide in a piggyback fiat car of extended coupler length a new bridge plate support adapted to support the free end of the bridge plate of a flat carof shorter coupler length coupled with the first mentioned fiat car, which bridge plate support is adapted to be pivoted to a transit position when it is not in use.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide in a piggyback flat car having an extended coupling projection a new bridge plate support pivotally mounted at each end of the sill of such fiat car, which bridge plate support is constructed to accommodate conventional bridge plate equipment of conventional flat car design.

It is an even further object of the present invention to provide in a more extensively cushioned piggyback flat car of the type described a new bridge plate support pivotally mounted adjacent each end sill of such a flat car, which support is adapted to support the free end of the bridge plate of a conventional flat car coupled with the first mentioned fiat car and which support is reinforced to accommodate the laterally spaced loads of dual wheel tractor trailers.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification wherein like numerals refer to similar parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of adjacent ends of coupled piggyback fiat cars, one of which flat cars has shock dissipating cushioning means associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 with certain parts of the fiat cars being removed or fragmentarily shown to illustrate the bridge construction more clearly;

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIG. 2 but showing parts of the bridge construction in the transit position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the bridge plate support of this invention with a part of the same being broken away and showing the support in the loading position thereof;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the bridge plate support as seen from one end of a piggyback flat car with a part of the support being broken away and showing the same in the loading position thereof;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 88 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 9 is a section taken along the line 99 of FIG. 4.

1b and is suitably slidably received in a box-like center sill 19, which box-like center sill is rigidly secured as a partof the underframe structure of the fiat car. It will be further understood that a hydraulic or other type cushion, such as that shown in United States Patent No. 3,003,436, operatively interconnects the sill 1 5 with the underframe of the flat car 10. Operational shocks in buff or draft applied to the couplers of the fiat car are absorbed by the cushioning means which results inQrela-' tive movement between the sill and the car 10; Such relative movement can be on the order of to 40 inches piggyback flat car having,

It will be understood that the-longitudinally continuous sill 15 extends for the entire length of the flatcar throughan opening 38' in the deck 11 of the flat car 10 where'it will be received in a suitable socket for supporting the bridge plate in the transit position.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the'brige plate28 of conventional design is not'of suificient length to span the distance between adjacent end sills 12 and 22 of the two piggyback liat cars becauseof the increased distance between these two end sills. As mentioned above, this increased spacing is due to the mounting of the coupler 18 a substantial distance from the end sill 12 of the piggyback flat car 10 because of the incorporation of a long travel shock dissipating cushioning arrangement in the flat" car 10. -,The novel means associated with the piggyback flat car 10 for supporting the free end of the bridge,

. be described.

Briefly, and by way of'introductiomthe bridge plate support includes an elongated'frame structure pivotally in either-direction as set forth in the aforementioned, patsecured thereto, are spaced asubstantial distance from the end sills of the flat car 10.

FIG. 1 also fragmentarily shows a conventional piggyback fiat car generally designated 20, which flat carin cludes a deck or bed21, on endsill 22 and side sills23 I and 24. Rigidly secured to the underside of the flat Car 20 is a' coupler housing 25, which coupler housing in.- cludes a striker plate 26. A railway car coupler 27 is pivotally mounted to the flat car 20 within the housing 25 in a conventional manner. The piggyback flat. car 20 does not have long travel shock dissipating cushioning means associated therewith; hence, the close spacing between the coupler 27 and the end sill 22 of the flat car 20. The coupler 27 is connected to the car 20 by means of any suitable type of draft gear means including a rub ber pad cushioning arrangement (not shown) providing for conventional gear travel of about 2 /2 to 3 inches. The Hat car 20 is provided with a bridge plate 28 'of conventional design, which bridge plate is pivot-ally nion mod at one end of the flat car at a, corner thereof in line with one longitudinal side or wheel track area of the deck 21 for swinging movement between a generally I mounted to the deck of a piggyback flat car adjacent an end of the end sill of the flat car. The bridge plate supis adapted to swing from a loading position wherein'the support projects from the end sill of the flat car to a 25' transitposition wherein the support rests on the deck of the flat car. It will be understood that when the support .is in the loading position it willproject beyond the end plate support. The bridge plate support is braced in the loading position by means of 'a stop member which is a 7 part of the support, the stop memberbeing adapted to abut the end sill of the flat car for transferring a por- 'tion of the load received by the bridge support to the end sill. As is-known'to those skilled in the art, most flat cars are provided with a pair of grab rails at each end thereof to assist workmen working around the flat car.

Since the bridge plate support'abuts the end sill of the flat car in the vicinity of one of these grab rails, the bridge loadingposition. 6 Further, the bridge plate support is horizontal loading position and a generally vertical tran- V opening 31 in the deckof the fiat car 20 for engagement" with a suitable socket for supporting the bridge plate 25 in the transit position. g

The bridge construction for the piggyback flat car 10 is the same at both ends thereof. Accordingly, it will reinforced at opposite endsthereoffor receiving laterally spaced loads from the dual wheels of highway tractor trailers. a Y

' "Referring now-to the drawingsand' especially to FIGS.

4 through 9, the bridge plate support, generally designated 40, 'ispivotally mountedto the deck 11 of the piggyfor" r'eceiving'pins 44; It will be'apparent that by prosol suifice to describe the bridge construction at only one f end of the flat car 10. A bridge plate 35 is pivotally mounted onthe deck 11 at one end 'of the flat car10 for swinging movement between-a generally horizontal loading position and a generally vertical transit position; I The bridge plate 35 is of a greater length than the length of the conventional bridge plate 28 thereby adapting "the bridge plate 35' to span the. increased distance betweenthe elongated bridge support.

vision'of the ear plates and pins the bridge plate supportis adapted to swing'about a horizontal transverse axis extending through the centers of the pins 44. 1 The bridge plate'support 40 further includes a channel member 45,'which channel member has the flanges thereof extending toward the end sill, of the flat car with the uppermost flange being secured to the underside'of the deck plate 41 at theouter side edge thereof. The bridge plate support is reinforced-at each end thereof 'by a pair -of end} plates, which'end plates extend laterally of I V Proceeding from left to rightas seen in FIGS. 4 and S, a first generally rectangular end plate 43adapted'to be abutted by the outer end of thechannel member 45 is securedto the underside of the deck plate 41 closelyadjacent the end thereof; A second generally rectangula; end plate 49 spaced a'short distance from the plate 48 is secured to the underside of the deck plate 41. One end of the end plate 49 has portions thereof cut away to accommodate the shape of the channel 45. An end plate 50 of special shape is secured to theunderside of the deck plate 41 near the inner end thereof, which plate 50 has an outer portion configured to accommodate the channel member 45. The plate 50 includes. a depending portion which extends downwardly for a distance preferably greater than the height of the web of the channel member. An end plate 51 also of special shape is secured to the underside of the deck plate 41 adjacent the inner end thereof, which end plate is adapted to be abutted by the inner end of the channel 45. The plate 51 includes a depending portion which extends downwardly for the same distance as the depending portion of the plate 50. The end plates 48 through 51 are spaced along the underside of the deck plate 41 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 for two reasons. One, the end plates are concentrated near the ends of the deck plate 41 in the areas where laterally spaced concentrated loads from the dual wheels of highway tractor trailers will be received. Secondly, the end plates 49 and 50 are spaced apart for accommodating a standard grab rail 53, which grab rail is secured at the ends thereof to the end sill 12 of the piggyback flat car in a conventional manner.

A plate 54 extending at a right angle from the deck plate 41 on the underside thereof is secured to the inner edges of the end plates 48 and 49. Preferably, a pad plate 55 is secured to the end sill 12, which pad 55 is adapted to be in substantial co-extensive contact with the plate 54 when the bridge plate support is in the loading position thereof as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. A vertically elongated plate 56 extends at a right angle from the underside of the deck plate 41 and is secured to the inner edges of the end plates 50 and 51. Preferably, a pad plate 57 of generally the same size and shape as the plate 56 is secured to the end sill 12, which pad 57 is adapted to be substantial co-existensive contact with the plate 56 when the bridge plate support is in the loading position thereof as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. The depending portions of the end plates 50 and 51 as well as the vertically elongated plate 56 define a stop memher for limiting swinging movement of the support end for bracing the support 40 when the same is in its loading position.

When the bridge plate support 40 is swung to the loading position thereof, the fiat deck plate 41 will project generally horizontally from the end sill of the piggyback fiat car for receiving and supporting the free end of the bridge plate of a conventional flat car coupled with the flat car having the bridge plate support. The deck plate 41 is firmly supported in place by the combined action of the ear plates 42 secured by the pins 44 and by the action of the stop plates 54 and 56 engaging the pads 55 and 57, respectively. It will be apparent that by this construction the bridge plate support 40 will firmly support the free end of a bridge plate resting on the support. The bridge plate support is further aided in supporting a bridge plate and the moving loads to which the bridge plate may be subjected, by the provision of the depending portions of the end plates 50 and 51 and by the vertically elongated plate 56, as these parts brace the bridge plate support and transmit a portion of the vertical loads applied to the support to the end sill.

As best seen in FIG. 2, it will be noticed that when the bridge plate support is in the loading position thereof and contacted by the free end of the bridge plate 28, the bridge plate support will permit wheeled lading, such as highway tractor trailers, to pass easily between the deck of the fiat car and the bridge plate or vice versa. It will be further observed that the hinge structure penmitting pivoting or swinging movement of the bridge plate support is mounted at the extreme ends of the deck plate 41 so as not to interfere with the movement of dual wheels over the bridge plate support.

Thus it will be seen that by this invention a bridge plate support has been provided for use with a piggyback flat car of the type having a long travel shock dissipating cushioning arrangement, which bridge plate support is adapted to receive and support the free end of the bridge plate of a conventional piggyback flat car coupled with the first mentioned flat car, thereby adapting the piggyback flat car having the cushioning means for directly coupled use with the conventional car dur ing piggyback loading and unloading. As indicated above, it will be realized that the bridge plate support arrangement may be used on flat cars other than those having the sliding sill type shock dissipating cushioning means associated therewith. The support will have utility on any piggyback flat car wherein the couplers thereof are spaced more than the usual distance from the ends of the car regardless of the reason for mounting the couplers this increased distance. For example, an increase in coupler projection may be as a result of an increase in travel in draft gear design, such as a travel of 8 inches as compared to the conventional 2 /2 to 3 inches. The present invention also permits wider latitude in coupler and coupler mounting designs as any portion or all of the available support surface provided by the bridge plate support arrangement can be used to a varying degree. The bridge plate support is a strong and rigid structure adapting it to give firm support to a bridge plate for carrying extremely heavy loads. The support is re-enforced at the ends thereof for receiving the laterally spaced loads of a dual wheeled highway vehicle, and the bridge plate support is so constructed that when in the loading position thereof it will accommodate a grab rail mounted at the end sill of a flat car. The bridge plate support is pivotally or swingably mounted to the flat car so that it may be swung to an out-of-theway or transit position when not in use.

While the invention has been shown in but one form it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not to be so limited, but on the contrary it is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a piggyback fiat car of the type characterized by couplers adapted for longitudinal movement with respect to the deck portion of the flat car, which couplers project a substantial distance from the ends of the flat car to accommodate such movement, the provision of bridge construction associated with at least one end of said flat car adapting the same for piggyback loading comprising, a bridge plate mounted on the deck portion of said flat car at said one end thereof and on one side of the longitudinal centerline of the car for swinging movement about a horizontal transverse axis between a generally vertical transit position and a generally hori zontal loading position, which bridge plate has a length substantially greater than the distance the coupler projects from said one end of the car thereb adapting the same to be supported at the free end thereof by a second flat car coupled at said one end of the first mentioned flat car, a separate bridge plate support dis posed laterally of said bridge plate, which support comprises a transversely elongated frame structure having hinge means at each end thereof pivotally mounting the same on the deck portion of the first mentioned flat car at said one end thereof and on the other side of said centerline, said support being adapted to swing about a horizontal transverse axis between a loading position wherein the support extends beyond the end sill at said one end of the first mentioned flat car to constitute an extension of said deck portion and a transit position wherein the support rests on the deck portion of the first mentioned fiat car, said frame structure comprising, a

transversely extending structural member 'secured to the underside of said deck plate at the marginal portion thereof remote from said end sill, at least one end plate at each' end of said frame structure, each of .said end plates extending laterally of the'frame structureand being secured to the underside of said deck plate andto said structural member, said end plates being spaced apart to accommodate a grab rail mounted on said end sill when said support is in'the loading position thereof, the

innermost of said end plates having the depending portion, which portion has a pad secured to one edgethereis in a loading position thereof for maintaining saiddeck plate in a horizontal plate when the support 'is subjected to a load. 1 a

ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/62 JDe" Grandpre 1055-368 MILTON BUcHLER, Primary Ex miner. LEO QUACKENBUSH Exam iner, Y 

